Chapter 502: Dutch Rose Pub
Thursday, February 16th, Evening
They walked into the small pub on the west side. The two women walked up to the bar and looked at the bartender. One was shorter, with dark brunette hair, while the other was taller and blonde, and the bartender looked them over and nodded.
"Welcome to the Dutch Rose Pub; what can I get for you?" the bartender said.
"I'll have a Smithwick's," the brunette said.
The bartender turned to the blonde. "And you?"
"I'll have the same," the blonde said.
"Very good," the bartender said and went about pouring their drinks.
"So, why did you pick this place?" the blonde asked.
"It's small and out of the why, and we can be undisturbed," the brunette said.
"It's not like we're plotting the downfall of the free world," the blonde said.
"We won't be noticed and disturbed here," the brunette said.
"You've never brought me here before, Trin," the blonde said.
"No, this is my place," Trin said and smiled.
"You have your own place?" the blonde asked.
"Of course, Ellie," Trin said, "You and Fallon live alone, and sometimes you just need to have your place."
Ellie nodded, "Yeah, I guess."
A woman in a business suit came over and stood between Ellie and Trin. "I see you can't help darken my doorstep," the woman said.
"Ercilla, why wouldn't I darken your doorstep?" Trin asked.
"Because you found another place to haunt," Ercilla said.
"I would never find another place," Trin said.
"Where else would meet your hookups?" Ercilla asked.
"I'm not meeting a hookup tonight," Trin said.
Ercilla looked to Ellie. "I see she's brought you back," she said.
"Yeah, and do you have a problem with that?" Ellie asked.
"No, as long as you spend," Ercilla said.
Trin chuckled, "Bad day, Cee?" she asked, dropping the banter.
"No," Ercilla said, "Seeing if I could get a rise out of either of you."
"Well, maybe I could get a rise out of you," Ellie said.
Ercilla rolled her eyes, "I doubt it," she said.
"Never too sure," Ellie said.
Ercilla leaned a little into Ellie's face. "Never be too overconfident about things you don't know," she said, "William Shakespeare."
Ercilla straightened up and walked away. Ellie looked at Trin and shook her head.
"William Shakespeare didn't say that," Ellie said.
"I know, you know I know I know. I know you know I know. We know Ercilla knows, and Ercilla knows we know it. We're a knowledge group," Trin said.
"The Lion in Winter again?" Ellie asked.
"Of course, great movie, you should watch it," Trin said.
"Yeah, sure," Ellie said.
"So, why are we here?" Trin asked.
"I want you to meet someone," Ellie said.
"Again?" Trin asked.
"Yeah, well, I only have a short time left," Ellie said.
Trin smacked Ellie's shoulder, "Don't say that," she said.
"What?" Ellie asked.
"You know why," Trin said.
"I meant, I was heading back to Tree Hill soon," Ellie said.
"This story really got you," Trin said.
"It's my first chance to write something other than clothes or makeup," Ellie said.
Trin nodded, "I get it," she said.
"So, when you're promoted to president are you going to stand on your desk and say, I've snapped and plotted all my life. There's no other way to be president, alive, and fifty all at once?" Ellie asked.
Trin laughed, "And you said you've not seen the movie, anyway, I've never thought of doing that, but they would think I'm nuts," she said.
Ellie smiled, "Well, you know," she said.
Bietio Hawk walked into the bar and looked around. Once he saw Ellie, he waved once they made eye contact. Ellie nodded, smirked, and gave him a casual wave back. Bietio nodded and headed over.
"Libby," Bietio said.
"Bietio, have a seat," Ellie said.
"Thanks," Bietio said.
"Bietio, join us for a drink," Ellie said.
"Sure, what are you having?" Bietio asked.
"Smithwicks," Trin said.
Bietio hesitated then nodded, "I'll have one of those," he said.
"Not used to drinking beer?" Trin asked.
Bietio shook his head, "No, not normally," he said.
"Bietio, this is my dear pain in the ass, and sometimes friend, Trin; Trin, Bietio Hawk," Ellie said.
Bietio reached behind Ellie and offered his hand. Trin leaned back and offered him her hand. He took her hand and shook it. "Bietio Hawk," he said.
"Trin Adams," Trin said.
"So, how do you know Libby?" Bietio asked.
"I've known Ellie since high school; our moms were best friends," Trin said.
Bietio nodded, "What I don't get is if your parents were best friends, but we have known each other since high school?" he asked.
"We grew up in separate cities until high school," Ellie said.
"Yeah, Ellie and I went to high school and were cheerleaders together," Trin said.
"Ellie?" Bietio asked and looked at Ellie.
"It's what they've always called me," Ellie said.
"Okay, so where does Libby come from?" Bietio asked.
"I was wearing my old sorority jacket when I met Jade, and it had my nickname, Libby, on it. They started calling me that," Ellie said.
"Okay," Bietio said.
"So, Bietio, what do you do for a living?" Trin asked.
"I'm in business," Bietio said.
"Oh yeah, so am I," Trin said, with a twinkle in her eyes. Ellie rolled her eyes.
"What do you do?" Bietio asked.
"I'm the VP of New York City operations," Trin said.
"Oh wow, that's cool," Bietio said.
Trin nodded, "A lot of hard work, and someone spotted me," she said.
"So, did you start out of college?" Bietio asked.
"No, sophomore year, I started working in the mailroom, believe it or not, I'm the Cinderella Story," Trin said.
"Cool, where do you work?" Bietio asked.
"Davis Enterprises," Trin said.
"Oh, wow, they are one of our biggest accounts," Bietio said.
"Okay," Trin said.
"Small world," Bietio said.
Trin nodded, "So, Bietio," she said.
"Yes, Trin," Bietio said.
"What are your intentions with my best friend?" Trin asked.
"What?" Bietio asked.
"Why do you think you're here?" Trin asked.
"I don't know, have drinks and meet Libby's best friend," Bietio said.
Trin nodded, "That's part of it," she said.
Bietio nodded, "Well, I think Libby is a great woman, and I would like to get to know her," he said.
Trin nodded, "You better be good to her," she said.
"I will," Bietio said.
Trin nodded and sipped her beer; Ellie kept silent and drank her beer. Bietio nodded and sipped his beer.
